Feminist News

UC Berkeley Settles Sex Bias Case for $113,000

Maribeth Graybill, a former art history professor at the University of California at Berkeley, has received a settlement of $113,000 after being denied tenure, allegedly because of her gender. The U.S. Department of Justice pursued the case on her behalf. Assistant Attorney General Deval L. Patrick commented that the settlement, "paints a clear picture for all employers that the Justice Department will not tolerate discrimination." UC Berkeley officials denied wrong-doing, citing their desire to avoid a lengthy trial as the reason for the settlement. In 1990, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had found sufficient evidence to warrant a sex bias suit and forwarded it to the Justice Department. Graybill, who is now a tenured professor at Swarthmore College, commented, "The impact of this ruling takes on special significance because it is the last in a series of cases brought by women against Berkeley, and every one of us won in one way or another."

Recently, the UC Berkeley has settled other sex bias suits. Margaretta M. Lovell won tenure at the art history department in 1992; Eleanor Swift won tenure at Boalt Hall Law School in 1989; Jenny Harrison was awarded tenure in the math department in 1993; and Marcy Wang won a $1 million settlement after claiming bias against her because she is an Asian woman.